Mathcad prime 1.0: bug with keyboard shortcuts with Italian keyboard.

[DarKilleR]

i'm sorry for my bad english

I have Mathcad Prime 1.0 on Windows 7 64(bit) Italian.

I think that i have found a very fastidious bug.

When i write expression and i use the keyboard shortcuts i have a problem for write exponents.

If i use the keyboard and i press ( ^ ) ( ctrl+ì )....mathcad prime don't write for example "x^2" but write "x if ||"

It's a very big problem for me because i'm so fast with keyboard shortcuts...and i dont' want to use a mouse command and found always manually the correct operator.

I see that this problem presents only in math form and not in text form.

I try to set english keyboard in windows and now Mathcad Prime work correctly both in math form and in text form....

The problem is that i have an Italian keyboard and not an English keyboard.

Can You help me??

Please it's very important i must use Mathcad for some university project!

Bye

[VladimirN]

Marco, hello!

In what language you use version Prime 1.0 (it supports multiple languages)?

[DarKilleR]

Hello, thanks for your reply!

I use Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit and i use Mathcad Prime 1.0 evaluation version in Italian language.

I have download Mathcad Prime from ptc.com and the pack that is 634MB it's multilanguage.

When i follow the install wizard i can't decide the language, and Mathcad is installed with the same Windows language if it's possible.

Of course I tried to uninstall and reinstall the program. And i have the seme problem in my workstation with windows 7 ultimate X64, and in my notebook with the same Windows.

I have not tried in other PC with othe SO.

Thanks.

Marco.

P.S. how i can contact technical support? i hadn't find it for evaluation version.

[VladimirN]

Marco,

Try creating a query in PTC technical support (for Mathcad Prime 1.0 Evaluation version). Here: https://www.ptc.com/appserver/cs/mathcad_case_logger/options.jsp

And here is a video how to use this support: http://www.ptc.com/appserver/wcms/media/streamed.jsp?&im_dbkey=114952&icg_dbkey=904

P.S. Later I will test this error on the full version Prime 1.0 and an alpha version Prime 2.0.

[VladimirN]

If you want to type the following entry "x^2" you must use the keyboard shortcut "Shift + ^" (this combination is working in the Italian version of Prime 1.0). Also, I have to attach a file with a list of keyboard shortcuts in Prime 1.0.

[DarKilleR]

I have just read this .pdf it's in the guide document in Prime 1.0.

Naturally for write "x^2" i use the keyboard shortcut "Shift + ^".

"^/ì" in italian keyboard it's in the same key...

I have tried to change the language from IT to EN in windows taskbar when Mathcad Prime is run...and if i write with english layout (i must use "shift+6") and it work correctly.

It's possible that it's an incompatibility with Windows 7 SP1 X64 in Italian language?

P.S. If you want...later i can make a video with camtasia studio?

[DarKilleR]

I made a video example of my problem.

Writing "x^2", when i use Italian language i use the Italian layout ( shift+ì ), and when i use english language i use the english layout ( shift+6 ) as in file attachments image.

I attach now the video example.

I hope I was clear in my explanation...

Bye

[VladimirN]

I created a new "Case" for technical support PTC on this issue. Note that in Mathcad 15 exponentiation works fine with the Italian keyboard layout, and in versions Prime 1.0 & 2.0 - does not work.

P.S. And here's the answer from the PTC (the answer can also be found in "Read This First" guide for Mathcad Prime 1.0):

For Mathcad Prime 1.0, function names remain in English for all languages.
Keyboard shortcuts for certain commands do not work on non-English keyboards in Mathcad Prime 1.0. You can access those operators and commands from the Ribbon.
For Mathcad Prime 1.0, a list of all keyboard shortcuts resides in the following path:
<Installation Directory>\Doc\<language>\Mathcad_Prime_Keyboard_Shortcuts_<language>.pdf.
You can also access the keyboard shortcuts list from the Getting Started tab in the Ribbon.

[DarKilleR]

Yes...Mathcad 14/15 work fine with the italian keyboard.

So it's a know issue with Mathcad Prime 1.0 and alpha 2.0...i hope that will be solved with a new patch update.

I'm studing Civil Engineer and i will want to buy Prime 1.0 student edition...but i want to use Italian layout and non english for my work.

Thanks for all the time you spent to help me.

Bye

Marco.

P.S. i will remain vigilant to see if will be some news!

[mzeftel]

Marco,

I am logging this issue to be fixed.

Can you try Shift+6 on the Italian keyboard and see if that works? If so, it's the position not the key that is working.

Thanks,

Mona

[DarKilleR]

no don't work.

If use shift+6 with italian profile and italian language is set in windows...don't work and write &....as correctly for this profile.

[mzeftel]

Thanks for the update. This issue has been logged.

Mona

[MarcoEvangelosB]

Hello all!

Just installed Prime 2.0 (Italian keyboard). I'm a skilled (and devoted) user of MathCAD. Reserved some of my week end time to try Prime (we got a license for our Formula SAE Team).

Just try to plot a parabola and... no way to square my x!!!! When I push "^" I get an if block.

This is really disappointing. Especially because the bug is an old story (old as this post).

I will stay with old Mathcad until this issue will not be fixed. It is really impossible to use a software that not respond to BASIC commands.

Any patch form PTC to fix?

Best.

Marco

[Werner_E]

Obviously there is a bigger problem with keyboard mapping in Prime and it seemed not to be tested by PTC. I, too, have problems with the German version. While ^ works, most of the keyboard shortcuts don't. The keyboard shortcuts stated in the appropriate pdf all are wrong. Especially annyoing when writing programs as of the idiotic need to go to the ribbon to select all the constructs rather than having a floating palette and working shortcuts.

I, too, will stay with real Mathcad (MC15, that is), not only for this, but for various other resons, too.

[VladimirN]

Hi Marco,

Please report this issue for PTC's tech support by using "Mathcad Support Center":

http://www.ptc.com/support/mathcad_supportCenter.htm

http://blogs.ptc.com/2011/09/22/how-to-use-the-brand-new-online-mathcad-support-center/

[MarcoEvangelosB]

Just tried to file it; but my account is not powerful enough; and I haven't time to waste...

Furthermore, why should resubmit a bug well known and already submitted by Mona 2 years ago?

When you were cooking Prime I was enthusiastic and I offered to help as a tester.... but I haven't had a chance!

So I gave up and decided to go on with our academic license of Mathcad (we are still happy users!).

You should deserve more attention to users that can valorize your technology and stress it to the limit.

As a professor I have published several paper in which Mathcad is used in calculations.

This one for instance:

http://www.rbf-morph.com/index.php/rbf-news/1-latest-news/110-igi-global-handbook

Do you know that all the advanced algorithms used in my software RBF Morph have been first developed and tested using Mathcad?

A wrong keyboard shortcut is really bad! Yes because even if this kind of problems are physiological in new products they takes just a few hours to be fixed. And you should give a very high priority to small details that makes terrible the first experience of an expert user of the previous technology.

Hope to see a patch very soon!

Dr. Marco Evangelos Biancolini

[ptc-5277318]

Mona, shift 6 does not work on the Italian keyboard. That produces what it says, the ampersand (as it is used in MatchCad). The ^ (shift ì) produces an IF block. It's possible to shift keyboards to EN, enter it, then shift back again, but it's easier to enter it from the menu Math/Operators/Algebra/Exponentiation. It's also easier to type ALT+0094. If you remember 0094, that's fine, but the bug should be fixed, because it wasn't a problem on previous versions. If there is a workaround, please let me know.

[ptc-3148676]

Hello everyone,

this bug is still present in the italian version of mathcad, and it's really annoying because you can't use the ^ in the keyboard but have to press the button on the ribbon EVERYTIME you need a ^ .....

[Werner_E]

Did you already reported that bug to PTC support?

As already written there seems to be a general problem with localized keyboard layouts which PTC seemed not to have considered enough.

Hope that this will be address in the forcoming version 3 of Prime - think it was sheduled vaguely by "at the end of summer 2013".

[ptc-5459181]

I just saw this question.

You can type alt-0094 to get it. Still annoying but at least you can get it.

[DarKilleR]

It's been 3 years since my first report.
You have released two major releases of Mathcad ....
and Mathcad Prime 3.0 is always plagued by the same problem!

PTC, I have no words to describe this total lack of seriousness ... at this point you can also avoid selling Mathcad in countries that do not use an English layout!
This is outrageous because older versions of Mathcad 12-13-14-15 did not suffer from this problem

I will turn to your competitor!

Bye!

Marco

[pmocchetti]

November 2014 and the problem is still there! They say to report it, when they know what is all about. Let's not waste time and stick to the older Mathcad version. In my Company will definitly not gonna buy it: I'm in charge for this, and even if we use US Keybords, because of this issue, I won't allow to switch to Prime. Do fix the bug and do not write silly workarounds, please!

[Werner_E]

Admittedly this long time ignorance of localized foreign keyboard layouts is a big annoyance and inexcusable . But there sure are also many many other reasons for not switching over to Prime. So sure its the best choice to stick with Mathcad and/or look for alternatives. BTW, also in MC15 and below a lot of keyboard shortcuts don't work as expected and the tooltip help is sometimes simply wrong - at least thats the case in my German version.

Ad "silly workarounds": As I see thats your first post in this forum and so you probably missed the fact, that this forum is user driven and is NOT an official PTC support forum. So people who answer here usually are users of this software who sacrifice some spare time to help others and not PTC staff. Only PTC staff in this thread was Mona Zeftel and she wasn't suggesting any workarounds, silly or not. Mona was a very helpful person in the past and has left PTC for quite a while.

The only workaround I could spot was from a user (Frank Hamilton) and sure is valuable for those people who have no choice because they are forced to use Prime.

The point is - if you post here, you are not talking to PTC directly, so please check your wording.

After all your reply was to Marco Mori who started this thread and so it hardly makes sense to tell him "Do fix the bug and do not write silly workarounds, please!"

[gfraulini]

Hi all,

I try now the Prime 3 for the first time.

I am user of mathcad 15 from three years, and it's unbelievable that this silly problem is still here, especially because it there wasn't in the previous versions.

Wake up guys! It's 2015!!

[RV_9970184]

2022 and the bug is still in there! this bug managed to stay alive for a decade!

it is very rare that bugs get this old...

[amcgough]

Hi RV_9970184,

This issue was reported fixed in Mathcad Prime 4.0, I believe. We just retested this in-house with Mathcad Prime 8.0 (and some older versions of Prime) and the exponentiation operator is indeed inserted using 'shift ì' on an Italian keyboard.

Have you raised  a new technical support case on this so one of our engineers can dig into your specific problem to see why your setup doesn't work? Or if you prefer, you can share details with me via the messaging option on this forum.

Because we have so many keyboard shortcuts in Prime and because we need to consider all 10 languages (and keyboards) we support, I'd like to be able to provide some ability for users to customize their keyboard shortcuts - I've had that on my own wish list for years. However, right now we're obviously focusing on putting customer requested legacy Mathcad functionality into Prime.

Many thanks,

Andy.

[RV_9970184]

What a ridiculous way of solving things! so you are waiting for every shortcut bug to be noted and then fix it one by one. The strangest thing that MathCad Prime is the only software that I know of that is not compatible with other keyboard layouts that I know of. even more strange is that MathCad 15 did not have this issue and prime now still has this issue. In one min of testing I already found that in prime 7 shortcuts for "Global definition" / "Else" / "Elseif" / "Also if" ... don't work. 

[amcgough · Accepted solution]

Hi RV_9970184,

You mention 'Else' and 'Else If' keyboard shortcuts not working - those items only make sense and so only work when in context of an 'If' statement. You can’t insert them into worksheet limbo using keyboard shortcuts or UI, only when you’re in the second placeholder of an 'If' statement. Can you confirm that is how you used them? If they don’t work for you in an 'If' statement, I’ll have R&D take a look at those on your system (they were tested when Prime 8.0 was released and again as a result of this conversation and did pass on our end on the Italian keyboard).

'Global Definition' and 'Also If' don’t work on an Italian keyboard as the English keyboard shortcut key combinations don’t exist or are different on the Italian keyboard. This is also the same for the 'Continue' programming item - these are the three keyboard shortcuts that don't work on an Italian keyboard.

When translating shortcuts between keyboards our localization team verifies the English shortcut works and if not (due to keyboard layout differences), records if a different combination of keys are used instead. In a few cases shortcuts can't be replicated at all, because the keyboard doesn’t have the required key(s) or the required key(s) exist but do not work in their particular combination (possibly because of their alternate positioning on those keyboards). There are 98 Mathcad keyboard shortcuts on the Italian keyboard that are the same as the English keyboard, there are 13 that had to be assigned to different key combinations, and there are 3 that don't work (mentioned above).

I can’t comment on other applications and how they manage keyboard shortcuts across different language keyboards. Mathcad Prime certainly uses a lot of shortcuts, as we want as much as possible to support users who want to write calculation content in the worksheet without having to go to the menu. Mathcad 15.0 should have the same limitations as Mathcad Prime for shortcuts on different keyboards, but I’ll look into your feedback that Mathcad 15.0 does not have any of these keyboard shortcut limitations (though Mathcad Prime does utilize more keyboard shortcuts than Mathcad 15.0). Custom shortcut functionality could address some of these issues for the items you use the most, but that is something we’ll need to consider for a future release.

If you still have issues with keyboard shortcuts outside of the ones that are noted as having no equivalent for the key combinations on the Italian keyboard – 'Global Definition', 'Also If' and 'Continue' – please do let me know and we can get our localization and R&D team to look into them on your system. Thanks to your original community post, in looking into this I have found a couple of the keyboard shortcuts noted in the keyboard shortcut document have been swapped, so am working with the documentation team to fix that, so really appreciate the feedback you've been giving.

Many thanks,

Andy.